Container



I NOV. 30, 1943. I GEERTSEN 2,335,270

CONTAINER v Filed D66. 31, 1940 INVENTOR.

BYM ,0

A T To'eN' EYS Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Nelson Geertsen, Chicago, 111 assignor to Amerie can Can Company, New York, N. X, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372.665

(CL 2 w5i) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet metal cans or containers of the character having removable tearing strips and has particular reference to the provision of a notched area on the slit end of the body which eliminates sharp corners on a.

body and sometimes such collar is formed as an i integral part of the body.

In either case the collar furnishes a smooth top edge on an opened container and backs up the usual bottom score line out in the container body which sets off the tearing strip. The top score line if not properly made or located particularly in the side seam region will upon removal of the tearing strip leave a jagged raw edge or sharp corner on the cover after it is separated from the container. corner constitutes a cutting hazard to the hands of the user.

In order to avoid having sharp edges on a separated cover of the usual type, it is necessary to very accurately register the end slit in relation to the upper score line during manufacture of the container bodies, or to space the slit well above the score line and in either event this often proves unsatisfactory.

The present invention contemplates overcoming this difficulty by preparing the body shank with a cut out notch on the slit end of the body which entirely removes a small amount of the metal both above and below the upper score line at the lap section of the side seam without weakening the can and this eliminates any sharp corners that might otherwise remain after separation of the cover, thus insuring a no-cut feature.

An object of the invention is the provision of a can having an internal collar band and a tearing strip provided in the body wall which when removed produces a separate cover closure for the can, the continuous severed edge of which is free of narrow projections or sharp corners.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in such a can, of a body which is prepared with a wide cut-out notch on the slit end of the container body blank which straddles the top score line of the tearing strip so that upon removal of Such a sharp the tearing strip, a continuous severed edge portion remains along its top edge which form the edge of a slip cover reclosure.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of a container embodying the invention, with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

- Fig. -2' is an enlarged detail perspective view of complementary portions of the tubular containerbody showing notched and bent side seam portions as they appear from the .outside and just prior -to being joined;

Fig.3 -is a View of the interlocked fragments shown in Fig.2 as viewed from the inside of the container and showing a notched outarea straddling the top score line; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of portions of a substantially flat bodyblank showing the notch cut into one edge of thebodywhere itextends across the top score linebefore the bodyis brought into final form.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the-drawing a sheet metal. collar can of the tearing strip variet comprising a cylindrical container body H (Fig. '1) having. its longitudinal edges joinedin a side seam l2 and having top andbottom ends .secured to .the sbody and showing such a top end 13 secured in place by a suitable end seam .M.

"Inaccordance with the instant invention the body blank l i is cut as best illustrated inFig. 4 of the drawing. The right hand endof the blank is slit asat i5 and It for the purpose of providing lap andhook sections along this edge o f the blank. A cut-out notched section H is located intermediate the slits 1-5 and H5 so thatit straddles an upper score line l8. A lower or similar score line I9 is located below and is spaced parallel from the score line M3 to provide a tearing strip 22 for opening a finished container. At the opposite edge of the blank a tearing tongue 23 constitutes a. continuation of the tearing strip 22. This cutting or tearing section may also include the notches 24, 25 which extend into the terminal ends of the score lines l8 and IS.

The upper corner of the blank, at the left in Fig. 4, is out along a diagonal line as at 26 in the usual manner to reduce the area at the lapped edge so as to facilitate the fianging operation in the manufacture of the container. Other notched-out sections 2'1, 28 on the tongue end of the blank produces the usual short lap sections at the side seam joint and also set apart extending sections 29 and 32, which upon bending, form the outer hook sections of the container body (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 of the drawing illustrates fragments of a container body blank after it has been rolled into tubular form but prior to having the seam edges joined together. hook section 33 set off by the slit I5 and the notch I! and which is arranged to be interlocked with the hook section 29 on the opposite end of the blank. The slit I5 also separates the hook section 33 from an adjacent short inner lap section 34, The slit l6 (Fig. 4) separates a lap section 35 and a hook section 36.

Fig. 3 of the drawing show the inner fragments of the container body blank illustrated in Fig. 2, joined together in a lock and lap side seam joint. This view illustrates the lap sections 34 and 35 resting against the outer lap sections of the can body. The hook parts 29 and 33 give an additional lock seam section 31 which together with the major lock seam section, indicated at 38 and formed by interlocking the hook sections 32 and 35, produce a container of increased strength. I

' The straddled notch section ll forms a short lap section at 39 (Fig. 3) and results in a reduced area at the lap. Aside from the advantages heretofore described, it also efiects a substantial saving in the quantity of solder required in securing the blank seam edges together in forming the side seam joint [2, Following the usual soldering operation the open ends of the cylincontainer.

, A usual form of bottom can end may then be secured to the lower opened flanged end of the .can body by an end seam joint similar to the top end seam (Fig. 1) after which the container may be filled, closed and sealed by the top end member 13 in the end seam joint l4.

Removal of the tearing strip 22 in the usual manner as by a key produces a separated reclosure of the slip cover type which includes all of the severed body'wall above the top score lin l8 which is secured to the top end [3. Such a severed body wall has a continuous edge determined by the lower score line l9.

The inner margin of the notch I! (Fig. 3) forms This view shows a short,

a straight edge as at 45 on the inside of the body and this terminates the tearing strip 22 along the score line i8 so that there will not be any jagged or feather edge left on the can. This form of construction provides a slip cover reclosure which is free of narrow hanging projections or extending sharp corners that often'result from removal of the tearing strip in containers that do not possess this no-cut feature.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal container comprising a tubu lar body having a side seam, and a top end member secured to said body, said body having a removable tearing strip formed in the body wall adjacent said end, one end of said tearing strip terminating at said side seam, said strip having its opposite end projecting beyond the seam to constitute a tongue, said tearing strip being set oiT by substantially parallel upper and lower score lines along which the tearing strip is separated from said body during removal for disconnecting the end member in opening the container, the body wall at said side seam being cut away to provide a notch extending on opposite sides of the upper of said score lines and spaced above the lower of said score lines at the end thereof opposite from said tearing strip tongue to terminate said upper score line inwardly of the side seam, whereby breaking of the score line by removal of said tearing strip leaves a substantially smoth metal edge on the removed end member.

2. A sheet metal container comprising a tubular body including a side seam and a collar band, a top end member secured to said body, said body having a removable tearing strip disposed adjacent said collar band set off by upper and lower spaced score lines severable from the body wall to provide a slip cover reclosure member, said reclosure member utilizing said collar band as a friction seat when in reclosing position, the material of the body in the region of the tearing strip being provided with an inwardly disposed notch extending on opposite sides of the upper of said score lines at the terminus of the tearing strip on the inner lap section of the side seam to terminate said score line inwardly of the side seam, said notch being. spaced above the lower of said score lines, whereby to provide a substantially smooth metal edge on the reclosure member after said tearing strip has been removed.

NELSON GEERTSEN. 

